Week 0 has begun and college football has officially returned. Florida State and Georgia Tech will face off in an ACC duel in Dublin, and following their game will be a smaller selection of games to give college football fans some games to watch.

Oklahoma State, however, doesn’t start for another week, as they begin with a game against South Dakota State. They will compete in a revamped Big 12, which should give them a new chance to take the conference lead.

Oklahoma and Texas are gone, and eight teams have been added in the last two seasons, but Oklahoma State has been one of the most consistent programs for nearly two decades.

The conference will embody a running style this season that features some of the best running backs in all of college football. Of course, Ollie Gordon was the nation’s best runner last season and will return to the Cowboys, but the conference’s running backs have more to offer.

Looking ahead to a new era in the conference, The Athletic’s Justin Williams wrote about the star running backs helping to reinvent and reshape the league. Gordon, Texas Tech running back Tahj Brooks, Kansas’ Devin Neal, UCF’s duo RJ Harvey and Penny Boone and many others underscore the abundance of talent the Big 12 has at the position.

“Gordon and Brooks were two of the best running backs in college football last year. Gordon won the Doak Walker Award and led the FBS with 1,732 rushing yards,” Williams wrote. “Brooks was just a few spots behind him, fourth in the country with 1,538 yards, and both are back for their respective teams this fall. In fact, four of the top 10 rushing leaders in college football last year will be playing in the Big 12 this season, and seven of the top 25.”

Gordon is by far the best running back in the league until proven otherwise, and he’s a highlight of a league full of talent at the position. Big 12 commissioner Brett Yormack also knows where the best running backs in college football sit.

“The Big 12 is home to the best running backs in the country this season,” Yormark said.

For every team in the league, run defense will be crucial as they make their way through conference play and hope to win the Big 12. For Oklahoma State, it will be crucial to use Gordon to break down the defense and open up the passing game while Bryan Nardo’s defense looks to stop the run game.

Home of the nation’s best running back, the Cowboys have a ton of potential in 2024 and will be one of the most entertaining teams in the league to watch.

READ MORE: ESPN’s College GameDay leaves OSU football out of College Football Playoff prediction

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